ORR officials facing shrinking budget funds

MATTAPOISETT — With an eye toward a March 4 public hearing, ORR school officials presented a slimmed down budget request at Wednesday's School Committee meeting.

MICHAEL SMITH

MATTAPOISETT — With an eye toward a March 4 public hearing, ORR school officials presented a slimmed down budget request at Wednesday's School Committee meeting.

The revised FY15 proposal was pared to $17,060,868, a $206,294 or 1.2 percent increase over this year's budget. The initial draft of the budget in January came in at $17.7 million.

"We're looking at this in a different light than we did a month ago," said Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Doug White. White pointed to recent word that less state aid will likely be available to the district.

As a result, there were noticeable changes in the budget in the form of possible cuts, in areas including administrative salaries and the world languages program.

ORR High School Principal Michael Devoll warned the cuts could result in an increase in class sizes.

When a question was raised about the possibility of cutting a language from the program, Devoll responded, "When you expose the students, we are committed "¦ we'll look at all three languages (French, Spanish and Latin) and evaluate."

White said ORR had been counting on Chapter 70 funds that will likely not come through.

Committee member Charles Motta suggested that White press the region's state senators and representatives at Beacon Hill for more money.

"I think it would be worthwhile to reach out to them and ask for help," said Motta.

Of the possibility of future budget cuts, White said that school officials may have to make more reductions but aren't ready to do so at this time.

Devoll added that any further cuts would start to affect students.

Another School Committee meeting will be scheduled prior to the March 4 public hearing on the budget, officials said.

In another matter, the School Committee unanimously approved Devoll's request to plant a tree in the memory of Brown University and former ORR valedictorian Dana Dourdeville, who died last month while out hunting.